Electric shooting range



June 23, 1942. HOOKER ETAL 2,287,429

ELECTRIC SHOOTING RANGE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet l I .53; AMQP June 23, 1942. o. E QHO OKER a-rm. 2,287,429

ELEcTRIq SHOOTING-RANGE Original. Filed Aug. 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 aizazeifi' faakr has IIIIIIIIIIIIIL June 23,1942. D. E. HOOKER m; 2,2 1,429

' ELECTRIC SHOOTING RANGE I Original Filed Aug. 10, 1940 t 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "V604 A 770M jweni'onfi flomZdEZfaoZ er Franl /vjcozaus June 23, 1942. D.- E. HOOKER ETA; 2,287,429

- ELECTRIC SHOOTING RANGE Original Filed Aug. 10, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SUL A T'IO Patented June 23, 1942 ELECTRIC SHOOTING RANGE Donald E. Hooker and Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicage, Ill., assignors to Raymond T. Moloney,

Chicago, Ill.

Original application August 10, 1940, Serial No. 352,152. Divided and this application January 29, 1941, Serial No. 376,524

6 Claims. 01. 273-101) The invention relates to an electric shooting range including a light ray shooting gun usable in practicing marksmanship, or for amusement purposes. This application for patent is a divisional application of application Serial Number 352,152 filed August 10, 1940, for Target shooting apparatus.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved electric shooting range.

Another object is to provide improved circuit control mean-s for the electric lamp serving as the source of light.

Still another object is to provide such a range having said circuit control whereby either single bullets of light may be fired, or a rapid succession of them to simulate a machine gun like action.

Other important objects will be apparent as the disclosure is more fully made.

In the embodiment shown a target including a photoelectric cell travels to and fro along a track by means of a drive mechanism operable from a first electric motor; a second electric motor being also provided with suitable means causing the target at the same time as it moves to and fro to perform up and down bobbing movements. A

locked, there being a friction drive coupling between the arm and motor. However, when the light gun has its trigger switch closed, the lock is unlocked and the wiper arm is freed to be driven by the said third motor over the contacts to make circuits causing the electric lamp in the gunto flash, all as will later be more fully described. By this means a single flash of light can be fired or a rapid series of them to simulate machine gun action.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating one preferred form of the invention:

Figure 1 is a typical electric wiring circuit for the gun and target apparatus;

Figure 2 is a general perspective view of the gun, connecting electric cable, and the cabinet housing the target apparatus Figure 3 is an enlarged, detail front elevational view of the target, track and carriage as viewed from the front of the cabinet when the front panel thereof is removed. A reversing motor circuit is also included in this figure;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail, front elevational view of certain target carriage parts as viewed in Figure 3, but with the front cam wheel for the motor reversing circuit removed to expose the inner cam that mechanically regulates up and down motion of the target;

Figure 5 is a rear elevational View of the target carriage to show the motor on the carriage that rotates the cam wheels;

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, taken along line 66 of Figure 7 to illustrate the target carriage;

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional View through the target and its carriage, taken along'line 1-1 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a perspective detail view of the rotary wiper switch;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the rotary wiper switch unit used in the light control circuit for 1e light ray shooting gun. In this View the wiper switch arm is locked;

Figure 10 is an end elevational view of the unit as shown in Figure 9; and,

Figure 11 is a detail plan View of a portion of the showing in Figure 9 with the wiper arm shown released. I

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 there is a light ray shooting gun l5 having a trigger l6 and a trigger switch 11 which is normally open. The gun includes an electric lamp l8 as a light source. An electric cable I9 connects the gun with a cabinet in which the target and control means therefor is housed.

In the housing 20 are opposite brackets 2| for carrying transverse, parallel, lower and upper track rails 22 and 23 on which a carriage 24 is carried for to and fro sliding movement by means of a pair of flanged rollers 25 on horizontal axes on the lower rail 22, and by means of a single roller 23 on a vertical axis on the upper rail 23, as shown best in Figures 5 and 7. The disposition of these rollers is such that the carriage is held from jumping off the track rails.

Looking from the front, it will be seen in Figure 3 that the right hand bracket 2| includes supports for carrying an electric motor 21 having armatures 2'! as shown in the wiringdiagram included in Figure 3. This motor has a shaft driving reversible worm gearing 28 for turning a horizontal shaft 29 and a drive sprocket wheel 30. An endless chain 3| is trained around said wheel 30 and also around an idler sprocket wheel '32 carried in a bracket 33 supported on the opposite structure 2!. all as clearly shown in Figure 3.

To the back side of the carriage 24 (see Figures 5 and 7) is suitably secured the frame 34 of another electric motor 35 connected by reduction gearing 36 to drive a fore and aft extending horizontal shaft 31 journaled in the carriage 25 and bracket 34. A push pull link 38 is pivotally connected at one end as at 38 to the bracket 34 and at its other end as at 40 is pivotally connected to one run of the chain 3|, said link 38 being disposed under the shaft 31 thereby limiting upward movement thereof. When the chain 3| is being driven in one direction or another by the motor 21 it can now be appreciated that the link 38 acts to push or pull the carriage 24 and cause it slidably to roll along the track rails 22 and 23.

The shaft 3'! on the front face of the carriage 24 (see Figures 3, 4 and 7) has loose on the shaft, the hub of a timer disk 4| which by means of a friction disk 4| is turnable with the shaft '3'; when the motor 35 is running. As best seen in Figure 3 this disk 4| is made of insulation and has high cam portions 42 on its periphery of varying lengths, between which cam portions are dwell portions. This disk is positioned in a manner to cause these cams and dwells to engage one blade of a double blade, spring contact switch 43 suitably carried on the carriage 24 and having opposite wire connections 44 and 45. These wires 44 and 45 as shown in the diagram in Figure 3 are in circuit with a suitable source of energy 45 and a reversing relay coil 4?. As shown, the armatures 2'! for motor 2'! by means of wires 48 and 49 are also in circuit with the source of energy 45. In the wire 49 is arranged a field coil for the armatures 2?, said coil being controllable by a reversing switch structure 5| controlled by energization and deenergization of the reversing relay coil 4?. Said coil 4'! as can be seen is controlled by the opening and closing of the blade switch 43 in response to action of the cam wheel 4|. Consequently, the carriage driving motor 21 is reversibly operated to drive the carriage first one way and then the other. The period of operation of the motor in one direction or the other is obviously determined by the length of the cams 42 and the length of time the switch 43 is held closed. Thus, the stroke or path of movement of the carriage along the track is variable in either direction of movement. The cam wheel 4| is driven at such speedand is so proportioned that the carriage 24 can travel within only certain prescribed limits and can never reach the ends of the tracks 22 and 23 and run off or cause damage to any parts.

Looking to Figure '7 it will be seen that by means of a cap 52 and coil spring 53 the disk wheel 4| through a disk 4| is frictionally clutched to the front face of another cam wheel 54, having a hub keyed to the shaft 3'5 always to turn therewith. The front face of the carriage as shown also in Figure 4, above the wheel 54 has a pivot 55, pivotally carrying a gravity lever 55 having a dog end 51 loosely riding the periphery of said cam wheel 54. This wheel 54 is formed with varying length cam and dwell portions as shown on its periphery. Looking now at the disk 4| it will be seen that the same carries variably spaced pins 58 disposed normal to the plane of the disk and extending inwardly in a position to be engaged by the end 5! of the dog 55. When a high cam portion on wheel 54 holds the dog 55 high enough to permit the end 51 to be positioned in the path of the pins 53 on the disk 4|, then said disk 4!, will have its rotation interrupted, the friction disk 4| coming into play to take up the lost motion. Thus, the reversing movements of the motor 21 in driving the carriage 24 are so scrambled or varied as to making such to and fro movement of the carriage completely haphazard and unpredictable. Of course, when the end 5"! drops into a dwell on the disk 54 then it cannot engage a pin 58 and the disk 4| will through the friction coupling 4| turn with the shaft 3| and disk 54. The cam wheel 54 performs another important function which will presently be described in connection with a target on the carriage.

This target herein assumes the form of a submarine 59 and as seen in Figures 3 and 7 includes a lens 50 for directing a ray of light to an interior disposed photoelectric cell 6| carried on the angular extension of a target support 62 positioned for up and down sliding movement in one end of the carriage 24. The other end of the carriage 24 carries for sliding up and down movement, a complementary bar 63 the lower end of which has secured thereto a counterweight 54 for a purpose presently to appear. Looking now to Figure 4 it will be seen that below the cam wheel 54 the front face of the carriage 24 carries a lever 65 pivoted at 55 and between its ends carrying a roller 6'! to ride the periphery of the disk 54. The opposite end of the lever 65 is pivotally connected at 68 to an upstanding link 69 in turn pivotally connected at it to an intermediate portion of a lever 1|, which has one end articulately connected by a link 12 to the bar 63 and its other end similarly connected by a link 13 to the target supporting bar 62. Thus, the bars 52 and 63 are interconnected by the lever H for opposite up and down movements and the weight 54 counterbalances the weight of the target structure 59, 6|. Looping from the front it will be understood that the wheels 45 and 54 always turn counterclockwise. The motor 35 is not reversible and always runs in the same direction. It will now be clear that as the cam disk 54 turns the cam portions thereof will push down on the roller 61 to swing the lever 65 and cause the relative up and down movements of the bars 62 and 63 as shown in full and dotted lines in Figure 4. Thus, the target 59 bobs up and down behind a certain drop or front panel 14 included in the cabinet 23, which drop 14 may be painted to represent the sea. Since the cam portions on the disk 54 are of different lengths. a different or variable up and down succession of strokes is imparted to the target. This up and down variable target movement combined with the indeterminate to and fro movement of the target carriage along the track creates an unusually interesting target motion, causing the target to appear and disappear from behind the drop 14 in up and down and sidewise movements. A real test for the marksman thus occurs.

The control for the gun lamp H3 will now be described. In a suitable place in the cabinet 20, or in a stand for the gun I5 not shown, is positioned the unit shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11, which unit comprises a base 15 carrying a U- bracket IE on which is a sub-bracket H carrying an electric motor 18 for driving reduction gearing 19 for turning a shaft connected by a coupling 8| to an extension shaft 82. Said shaft 82 is supported with shaft 8D in the U-bracket 16, the shaft 82 as seen, projecting through and beyond the bracket with its far end turnably carried in an end plate 83 made of insulation and carrying (see also Figure 8) a circle of spaced, electrical contacts 84 wired together on the back side of the plate 83 by a wire 85 from which a lead 85 goes to one side of the lamp I3 in the gun l5 as shown in Figure 1.

A conductor wiper arm 8'! is secured to a sleeve 88 turnable in the support 83 and loose on the shaft 82 to turn thereon. Formed as a functionally integral part of the sleeve 88 is a disk 69 having peripheral spaces thereon formed by teeth 98. A solenoid 9I having a spring pressed core 92, is positioned on the support I in a manner to enable said core normally to engage radially in a peripheral space on the disk 98 and lock it against turning, when the core 9I is not energized. By means of bolts and spacers 92 another disk wheel 93 is secured in spaced relation to the first disk 89. This disk 93 also has peripheral spaces formed by teeth 94.

Secured to the shaft 82 to turn therewith at all times, and positioned adjacent the disk 93 is a drive collar 95 faced on the side proximate the disk 93 with a friction driver facing or washer 96, The collar 95 will have slight axial movement on the shaft 82. On the shaft between the disk 93 and U-bracket I6 is a loose turning sleeve unit 9! which at one end includes a disk 98 having an axial spacer 99, including a, detent pin I88 positionable to engage in the spaces between the teeth 94 on the disk 93 to lock disk 98 to the disk 93 to turn therewith and rotate the wiper arm 81 when the disk 89 is treed by the solenoid core 92 as will appear.

The other end of the sleeve 91 is provided with an integral, wide spur gear I8I and an inte- I gral washer I822. The bracket I8 carries a support I83 for pivotally carrying, by means of a pin I84 a lever I85, which between its ends carries two spaced, depending pins I88 disposed on opposite sides of the washer I82. The free end of the lever I85 carries a depending pin IllI engaged in the notched end of the spring pressed core I89 of a solenoid I89 carried in a support H8 mounted on the bracket I6. When the core I 88 is inoperative the spring thereof holds the core and lever I85 out as shown in Figure 9, thus sliding the sleeve 91 over to the right to move the disk 98 with its detent I88 into looking engagement with the wheel 98, at the same time pressing the collar 95 and its friction face 98 into driving engagement with the disk 93, thereby causing the parts 91, 88 to turn as a unit with the wiper arm 81 moving over the contacts 84.

The wide gear IIII is in constant mesh with a large spur gear III journaled on a shaft II2 mounted in the bracket I6 and a journal support I I3 thereon. As the gear II I turns it winds a clock spring II4 disposed around the shaft H2 and having its opposite ends connected respectively to the gear and shaft. The gear III carries an axially extending pin II5 from near its periphery to cooperate with an upstanding stop pin II6 on the base I5 as seen in Figure 10. The gear III has a starting position determined by the pins H5 and H6 and as the gear I II turns to move the pin H5 away from the pin H8, the spring H4 is wound up to store energy for returning the gear I I I to its home or starting position when these parts are reset. When the gear wheel III has turned one revolution the pins H5, H9 prevent further rotation of the wiper arm 81 and consequently the latter is held fixed between contacts 84 until reset.

Looking now to the diagram of Figure 1, it will be seen, that a main starting switch III is provided in the circuit, the same being initially closed by a conventional coin chute I I8 operable by the player in releasing the apparatus for use. A wire I I9 goes from one side of said main switch II I to the solenoid I89 and from the other side of said solenoid, a wire I28 leads to one side of the source of energy 46. From the source 46 a wire I 2I leads to one side of a switch I22 and from the other side of said switch is led a wire I23 connecting with wire I28 and the source of energy. A wire I24 leads from wire I2I and goes into one side of an amplifier I25. The motor 2! is in wire I2I and by cross wires I26 and I2! the motors 35 and I8 are respectively placed in circuit with the source of energy, as shown. An electromagnetically operable hit counter I28 of any standard type is in circuit with the amplifier through wires I29. By means of wires I38 the amplifier is in circuit with the photo-electric cell 6|. A wire I3I- leads from the amplifier I25 to a wire I32 in cir-' cuit with the source of energy 48 through wire I2I. The wire I32 connects with one side of a relay operated time clock unit I33 positioned to hold closed the switch I22 for the desired time interval. A wire I34 leads from the other side of the relay I33 to the other side of starting switch III. A wire I35 goes from wire I2I around the switch I22 and connects with one side of the solenoid 9i, while an out wire I36 from said solenoid goes to one side of the gun trigger switch IT. A wire I31 leads from the other side of the trigger switch to the wire I28 and source of energy 46. A wire I 38 goes from the other side of the lamp I8 to the wire I 3| and source of energy. A wire I39 connects between the wiper arm 81 and wire I24. This complates the detailed description of the parts and the manner of use and mode of operation of the apparatus will next be described.

In starting, it is to be understood all parts are at rest in what may be termed reset positions. When the coin chute I I8 is operated it closes switch II! for an instant to make a circuit I34, I33, I32, 46, I28, I89 and H9 to energize the solenoid core I88 and cause it to pull in the lever I from theposition shown in Figure 9 to that shown in Figure 11. Thus, with the unit 91, 98 pulled over and freed from the wheel 93, the spring II4, which was energized, acts instantly to turn the gear wheel III back to its initial starting position determined by pins H5 and H6. The unit 91 with disk 98 and gear I8! merely turns loosely about the shaft 82 during this reset operation.

Closing of the switch II! by the coin chute also in the same circuit just described, energized the relay timer unit I33 to set a time clock and also close the master switch I22, which now remains closed by the time clock unit I33 for a predetermined time interval, even though the coin chute I I8 is drawn to retracted position causing opening of the blade switch III. The circuits shown in Figure 1 are now established, causing all motors 21, 35 and I8 to run, the amplifier I25 likewise being placed in circuit with the source of energy. With the solenoid 9| deenergized normally, the wheel 98 is held locked. and the wiper arm 81 cannot turn over the con tacts 84, said arm 81 when at rest having a normal position between adjacent contacts 84 so that no current is passed, as shown in Figure 1. The friction disk 99 makes it possible so to hold the unit 93, 89, 88, 8! stationary. When. the coin chute was retracted and switch II! opened, the solenoid I89 was deenergized so that the spring therein pushed the lever I 85 out as seen in Figure 9 to lock the disk 93, through detent I88 tothe disk 93. Thus all these sleeve parts 91, 88 are tied together, but normally held against turning about the shaft 82 by the lock 92, since the coil JI is normally dcenergized and the spring thereiii holds the core 92 to locking engagement with the teeth 9 of wheel 80.

Of course, the motor 27 turns since it is now in a closed circuit and through the gearing described drives the endless chain 3! to move, through link-ii'the carriage 2:1 on which is carried the target 59 and variator motor 35, which also runs now all during the game cycle. As this motor 35 turns,'the cam wheels 54 and ll likewise turn. The cam portions on Wheel ll control opening and closing of the blade switch 43 for varyi ng time intervals, said switch 43' controlling the circuit Ell, 45, shown in Figure 3 that reverses the field for the brushes 2? of the motor 2?, thereby causing the latter to run reversibly. It follows that the carriage E i is consequently driven to and fro on the tracks 22 and 23 by the endless chain 35 with varying lengths of travel, but never off the ends of the rails 22 and 23 because the cams M on the cam wheel 4| are designed to prevent this from happening.

At the same time the motor 3? drives the cam wheel l, it also drives from the same shaft 3?, the second cam wheel 5 3 having varying length cam portions to act on the roller or pin 3] and operate the counterbalanced parallel ruler linkage 62 to move the target 59 up and down in strokes of varying length. This cam wheel 54 also raises and lowers the stop dog 58 into and out of the path of the pins 58 on the wheel 46 so that the latter wheel is actually momentarily held or locked against turning for varying intervals determined by the length of the cams on the wheel Thus, reversing action of the motor 27 and to and fro strokes of the carriage 24 are additionally scrambled. Such holding action of the wheel (I is made possible because of the friction disk driver M, between wheels 54 and M. It follows that the target 5Q moves back and forth and up and down in an unpredictable, haphazard manner, darting up and down and to and fro relative to the drop panel I4 in front of it.

With the target moving under influence of the motors El and i5 and the motor ":8 also running but not turning the wiper arm 81 because of the lock 92, the marksman can now shoulder the gun I5 and aim it at the target lens 6!]. When the gun trigger I5 is pulled the trigger switch ll is closed to make a circuit I36, I35, I21, 455, I37 to energize the solenoid QI. This moves the core 92 out of engagement with the lock wheel 3% to free the latter, whereupon through driver disk 95 and face 95 and coupling like the motor l8 through shaft 82 drives sleeve 88 and the wiper arm 8'! over the contacts 8G. If the trigger I6 is only closed for an instant then the wiper arm 81' contacts only one contact 8e, thus making a circuit 85, 85, I38 with source of energy 65, returning by wires I35}, I24, I23, with switch I22 held closed, back to source to to light the lamp I8. If the flash of light from the gun hits the photo-cell lens 58, then the amplifier I25 causes the hit counter I28 to function. Of course, since the coupling detent I M is locked to the wheel (53 that turned one step with the wiper arm 81, it follows that the gear IllI turned the gear It! in a direction away from the stop IIG, the spring I I4 being wound in the process.

Should the trigger switch ll be held closed, then the circuits established keep the wiper 8'! turning rapidly over the contacts 84 and the flashes of light from the gun are in rapid succession, like a machine gun, as the wiper 8'! runs on and off successive contacts B l. All the while this happens the gear IiI keeps turning away from it home position until it has completed one turn, whereupon the pin I15 abuts the stop I I5 and the turning parts 91, 83' are locked even though the motor 78 should still be running. The friction 9% takes up the lost motion in such instance. When the game cycle is cut off by the timer unit I323, then switch I22 opens and all three motors stop. When the next game is played the'ccin chute H8 acts to close switch iii and reset the one revolution control wheel III by means of the spring IE4 as has been described. This completes the description.

The intention is to cover all changes and modifications not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In a target apparatus comprising a track, a carriage on the track, a motor to move the carriage along the track, a target movably carried in relation to the carriage and including a photoelectric cell, a second motor to drive the target relative to the carriage, a light shooting element including an electric lamp, a rotary wiper switch, a third motor to drive the switch and establish contacts to light the lamp, and a switch to control operation of the rotary wiper switch.

2. A light shooting apparatus comprising a target, a light shooting element embodying an electric light normally turned off, a rotary wiper switch adapted to establish contacts to light said light, an electric motor to drive the rotary switch, means normally locking the rotary switch in non-cir" cuit establishing position, releaser means for the said lock means, and a switch on the shooting element to effect operation of the releaser means and permit operation of the rotary wiper switch.

3. A light shooting apparatus comprising a target, a light shooting element embodying an electric light normally turned off, a rotary wiper switch adapted to establish contacts to light said light, an electric motor to drive the rotary switch, a clutch between the motor and said switch, means normally locking the rotary switch in noncircuit establishing position, releaser means to release the lock means, a switch associated with the shooting element to effect operation of the releaser means and permit operation of the rotary wiper switch, said clutch serving as a lost motion when the rotary switch is locked against rotation.

4. A light shooting apparatus comprising a target, a light shooting element embodying an electric light normally turned off, a rotary wiper switch adapted to establish contacts to light said light, an electric motor to drive the rotary switch, a clutch between the motor and said switch, means normally locking the rotary switch in noncircuit establishing position, releaser means to release the lock means, a switch associated with the shooting element to effect operation of the releaser means and permit operation of the rotary wiper switch, said clutch serving as a lost motion when the rotary switch is locked against rotation, said motor running constantly whereby either a single flash of light can be fired by holding the shooting element switch momentarily closed or a rapid machine gun like succession of light flashes may be fired by keeping said shooting element switch closed for longer intervals of time.

5. A light shooting apparatus comprising a target, a light shooting element embodying an electric light normally turned oiT, a rotary wiper switch to establish circuits for lighting the light, a constantly turning electric motor to drive said switch, a clutch between the motor and switch, means releasably to lock the switch, said clutch permitting drive torque of the motor to dissipate, means to release the lock and permit rotation of the switch, and means to limit the maximum angular movement of the switch from a starting position whereby to regulate the number of flashes the light can have.

6. A light shooting apparatus comprising a target, a light shooting element embodying an electric light normally turned off, a rotary wiper switch to establish circuits for lighting the light,

a constantly turning electric motor to drive said switch, a clutch between the motor and switch, means releasably to lock the switch, said clutch permitting drive torque of the motor to dissipate, means to release the lock and permit rotation of the switch, means including a rotary member to limit the total amount of angular movement the switch can have from an initial starting position whereby to regulate the total number of flashes the light can have, and manually controlled automatically acting means to restore the rotary member to the initial starting position so that the rotary switch may start a new cycle.

DONALD E. HOOKER. FRANK G. NICOLAUS. 

